Vulnerable Dems anxious over stalled Covid talks
Democrats in GOP-leaning districts have been privately pressing Pelosi to take new action on relief — but she's resisting.
Kilmer was among several centrist Democrats who voiced similar concerns about the inaction one day earlier in a call with Pelosi. Some, particularly freshmen, pressed for more votes on coronavirus legislation, such as piecemeal bills to address programs like unemployment insurance, small business assistance or stimulus checks.
Pelosi rejected the idea of lowering their party’s demands both on Wednesday and during the broader caucus call Thursday, reiterating that Democrats needed to stand behind their more sweeping legislation as the pandemic rages on.
“Members range in suggestions to voting on ‘Heroes’ again to hanging tough,” Pelosi said Thursday, according to Democrats on the call. “Most of you agree that if we hang tough, we will get a better bill.”
One idea Pelosi is considering, however, is a floor vote on a standalone bill from House Energy and Commerce Chair Frank Pallone that would provide $75 billion to strengthen coronavirus testing and tracing programs nationwide. Senate Republicans proposed $16 billion for testing and tracing in their bill this week.
Other swing-district Democrats say they’re begun to search for more options themselves. Members of the Problem Solvers Caucus have begun drafting a bipartisan proposal to amp up pressure on their party’s leaders to accept something that falls in between the two parties' demands, possibly around $2 trillion. The GOP bill filibustered in the Senate Thursday amounted to roughly $500 billion.
Some members of the bipartisan group have even reached out to the White House about their plan. But senior Democrats say they’re skeptical that it could make either party budge.
"We’re doing everything we can to get both sides back to the table," said Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), a co-leader of the group along with Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.). "We can’t wait until January."
Vulnerable Dems anxious over stalled Covid talks
Democrats in GOP-leaning districts have been privately pressing Pelosi to take new action on relief — but she's resisting.
Kilmer was among several centrist Democrats who voiced similar concerns about the inaction one day earlier in a call with Pelosi. Some, particularly freshmen, pressed for more votes on coronavirus legislation, such as piecemeal bills to address programs like unemployment insurance, small business assistance or stimulus checks.
Pelosi rejected the idea of lowering their party’s demands both on Wednesday and during the broader caucus call Thursday, reiterating that Democrats needed to stand behind their more sweeping legislation as the pandemic rages on.
“Members range in suggestions to voting on ‘Heroes’ again to hanging tough,” Pelosi said Thursday, according to Democrats on the call. “Most of you agree that if we hang tough, we will get a better bill.”
One idea Pelosi is considering, however, is a floor vote on a standalone bill from House Energy and Commerce Chair Frank Pallone that would provide $75 billion to strengthen coronavirus testing and tracing programs nationwide. Senate Republicans proposed $16 billion for testing and tracing in their bill this week.
Other swing-district Democrats say they’re begun to search for more options themselves. Members of the Problem Solvers Caucus have begun drafting a bipartisan proposal to amp up pressure on their party’s leaders to accept something that falls in between the two parties' demands, possibly around $2 trillion. The GOP bill filibustered in the Senate Thursday amounted to roughly $500 billion.
Some members of the bipartisan group have even reached out to the White House about their plan. But senior Democrats say they’re skeptical that it could make either party budge.
"We’re doing everything we can to get both sides back to the table," said Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), a co-leader of the group along with Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.). "We can’t wait until January."
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/10/coronavirus-stimulus-vulnerbale-democrats-411935